Oiling the slump
With Arab economies already suffering from protracted decline in growth rates, the US occupation of Iraqi promises to push them into an even worse slump. Wael Gamal examines 'the oil factor'

FTA inches forward
The US may have political motives for an FTA, but for Egypt, it would be an economic pat on the back. Sherine Abdel-Razek looks into the aims on both sides

Davos in the Middle East
A regional meeting of world business leaders this month promises to put pivotal global issues in the spotlight. Mona El-Fiqi reports

Briefs
After almost two weeks of debate in parliament, the People's Assembly finally approved the new Unified Banking Law on 28 May...